This invention relates to an apparatus for processing coins when the coins are irregularly stacked in a coin packaging machine.
In a coin packaging machine, the coins are continuously fed into a cartridge while being selected and counted one at a time, and when the coins reach a unit number for packaging, the feed of the coins is temporarily stopped and at the same time, the stacked coins are fed into a packaging mechanism and automatically packaged. However, a so-called "irregularity" often occurs as several coins are inclined or erected inside the cartridge when stacked therein. Packaging of the coins becomes impossible when such irregularity occurs.
In the conventional apparatus, therefore, vibration is imparted to the cartridge for a predetermined period of time so as to correct the irregularity. If the irregularity is not corrected at a predetermined timing, a detector detects the irregularity, and a signal from the detector changes over a cam shaft for driving the packaging mechanism, which has already started rotating, thereby to reverse shaft rotation so that the irregularity detection function can continue. If the irregularity is corrected before the cam shaft returns to its initial position prior to the start of the packaging operation (or one-revolution stop position), the cam shaft is again returned to the normal rotation to continue the packaging operation. In the event that the irregularity is not corrected and the cam shaft returns to the one-revolution stop position, the packaging machine as a whole is stopped and the irregularly stacked coin or coins are then removed.
Depending upon the degree of irregularity, however, it often happens that the stacked state of the coins returns to the normal state if the coins are vibrated for a period of time by means of a vibration device even after the return of the cam shaft to the abovementioned one revolution stop position.
In the conventional apparatus, however, the machine as a whole is stopped to remove the coins judged as being irregular as soon as the cam shaft returns to the one revolution stop position even if it is highly likely that the irregularity can be corrected. For this reason, the packaging machine must be started again manually after the stop, thus resulting in an extremely low packaging efficiency.